10

Even before Steve opened his eyes the next morning, he dreaded the day. Chrissy and Sarah were leaving, and there was basically nothing he could do about it. He'd offered her the money she needed to get out of this job, and she wouldn't take it from him. He was willing to stand by her side if her mother tried to attack her with a legal battle and shield Sarah from the ugliness of it all, but she wouldn't hear of it. Chrissy was determined to deal with this on her own, even if all he wanted to do was help her. Now, she was leaving him all because her stubborn mother wasn't about to let her be happy.

Despite the fact that Steve remained still and silent so not to wake Chrissy, he felt her begin to stir in his arms. Her eyes fluttered open and she shifted so that she could look at him. She smiled solemnly and pressed a kiss to his lips.

After Chrissy slowly pulled her lips away from his, she laid her head against his bare chest and sighed, "I guess today's the day, huh?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

Chrissy shook her head. "I hate this."

Steve chuckled slightly. "I know. I hate good-byes."

"This isn't exactly good-bye, though. I mean, we're going to see each other again, right?"

Steve touched her hair. "Yeah, but we're not going to be a couple when see each other again. We're definitely going to see each other again. That won't be the issue. The issue will be acting like a friend of yours when I know we both want to be more than that."

Chrissy bit the inside of her lip. "I guess that will be pretty hard. This is the first real relationship I've ever been in, so I'm not exactly sure how this will work when all is said and done."

"It will be just as though we were friends. We'll call each other periodically. You'll e-mail me pictures of Sarah in her school pictures. You'll text me back and it will take me forever to answer you. We'll do all the things normal friends do to stay in touch when they live far apart."

"I have to admit it will take a lot of getting used to."

"Yeah, but we'll get used to it eventually. You're a tough girl, Chrissy. It's one of my favorite things about you. This will be hard. I'm not saying it won't. You'll forget about me eventually, anyway. You'll get caught up in your new life and career and you won't have time to think about you."

Chrissy's eyes filled with tears. She bellowed, "How could you think I could ever forget about you? My God, you saved my life! You've been by my side through almost everything a person could go through. Not only that, but I fell in love will you, and I fell hard. I don't know about you, but I don't fall in and out of love easily. I sure as hell am not going to forget about the only guy I've ever fallen in love with because there's an ocean between us."

Steve put his face in his hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. What I meant is that you won't have time to grieve because of your new job and lifestyle. It will keep you busy enough. I'm sure you'll think about me. I'll think about you, too. However, I think both of us will get thrown into our jobs so quickly that we're not going to have time to wallow in how we're feeling."

Chrissy nodded. "I get what you're saying, but that's not how it sounded."

Steve wrapped both of his arms around her and tilted her face up so he could look her straight in the eyes. "I love you, Chrissy, and I always will. Don't forget that. We're just not going to work. We know that and we just have to accept it. However, I promise you that you will be haunting my every waking thought and nighttime dream. You are the most incredible woman I've ever met, and I won't ever forget what we've shared these past two months. It takes a lot for me to say these things because I am not an overly expressive, emotional person, but you touched me in ways I never thought were possible. I hope that you can make a great girlfriend or even a wife for someone else. Unfortunately, that can't be me."

Chrissy hugged her body closer to Steve's, the tears flowing heavily now. She choked, "I've never met a man like you, Steve McGarrett, and I doubt I ever will. You're so complicated, and it takes a lot to peel away your layers, but I've enjoyed doing it. Beneath that tough exterior, you're really a sweet guy, even though you don't like to admit it. I love that about you. I really hate to think about what the dating world in L.A. will be like because I will be comparing every guy I ever meet to you."

Steve smirked. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. There are plenty of guys who are better for you than I am."

"I know, but I don't want them. I want you, and of course, I can't have you. Story of my life, I guess."

"Mine, too. I guess this just isn't meant to be."

"No, but it sure felt right while it lasted."